“This Means War,” McG’s latest directorial effort, seeks to explore humorously the age-old question: Is it possible to be in love with two people at the same time?
But in reality, this spy comedy is little more than a shallow, jumbled mess of fast cars, pretty people and explosions.
Tom Hardy (“Inception”) and Chris Pine (“Star Trek”) co-star as Tuck and FDR, a pair of CIA agents with cool jobs and even cooler names. Not only are they partners in the field, but these spies are also best friends. That is, until they both fall for Lauren Scott (Reese Witherspoon), a focus group administrator at the LA-based Smart Consumer, Inc. Unable to decide who has the rightful claim to Lauren, the agents consent to a “gentlemen’s agreement” in which they will both compete for her affections.
The rules of the agreement are as follows: 1) Tuck and FDR must stay out of each other’s way. 2) Lauren can never find out that they know each other. 3) Most importantly, they must not let the competition interfere with their friendship. What could go wrong?
To win over Lauren, FDR and Tuck use their CIA resources to spy on her and find out exactly what she looks for in a man. Using this knowledge, the two plan a series of spectacular, over-the-top dates, while sabotaging each other’s chances with Lauren at the same time.
Meanwhile, Lauren finds herself drawn to both Tuck, the sweet and reliable father of a 7-year-old, and FDR, the charming and exciting lady’s man. For guidance, Lauren turns to her best friend, Trish, played by comedian Chelsea Handler.
As Trish, Handler plays what is virtually a married version of herself, drinking vodka out of sippy cups and dishing out crass advice. Handler’s sadly underutilized character injects some much-needed sarcasm into a plot dripping with clichés and cheesy double entendres.
With all this excitement surrounding Tuck and FDR’s rivalry, it’s easy to forget that they actually have real CIA work to do. In a thinly-developed subplot, the spies must ward off bad guy Heinrich (Til Schweiger, “Inglourious Basterds”), who has come to seek revenge against Tuck and FDR after they killed his brother during an operation. The villain’s role in the movie is confusing at best and likely an excuse to throw in a few car chases and explosions.
As the competition between the spies intensifies, Tuck and FDR’s hijinks provide for a few laughs, but it’s not enough to redeem the rest of the film.
The talents of an attractive, capable cast are wasted on a lazy plot audiences will forget almost immediately after the final scene.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
